A Secret Life (54 page)
Authors: Benjamin Weiser
Tags: #History, #Europe, #Germany, #World, #True Crime, #Espionage
Chapter
2
“The Soil of Nobody”
2
“The Soil of Nobody”
Key interviews: RK, Roman Barszcz, Florian Siwicki.
29-55
“Kuklinski had always loved the sea . . . ”
The biographical material on RK comes primarily from many hours of interviews with him.
“Kuklinski had always loved the sea . . . ”
The biographical material on RK comes primarily from many hours of interviews with him.
30
“They breathed the air of patriotism...”
Interview Barszcz.
“They breathed the air of patriotism...”
Interview Barszcz.
43-44
“Only the young . . . ”
Joseph Conrad,
The Shadow-Line
(New York: Oxford University Press, 1985), p. 3. Adam Gillon, professor emeritus, State University of New York at New Paltz, offered insights into Conrad. Gillon was the founder and longtime president of the Conrad Society of America and founding editor of the newsletter
Joseph Conrad Today
.
“Only the young . . . ”
Joseph Conrad,
The Shadow-Line
(New York: Oxford University Press, 1985), p. 3. Adam Gillon, professor emeritus, State University of New York at New Paltz, offered insights into Conrad. Gillon was the founder and longtime president of the Conrad Society of America and founding editor of the newsletter
Joseph Conrad Today
.
48-49
“The symposium participants . . . ”
RK’s interview in
Kultura,
April 1987. Translated excerpts published in
Orbis
, “The Crushing of Solidarity,” Winter 1988; and
Between East and West: Writings from
Kultura, ed. Robert Kostrzewa (New York: Hill and Wang, 1990).
“The symposium participants . . . ”
RK’s interview in
Kultura,
April 1987. Translated excerpts published in
Orbis
, “The Crushing of Solidarity,” Winter 1988; and
Between East and West: Writings from
Kultura, ed. Robert Kostrzewa (New York: Hill and Wang, 1990).
Chapter3 A Double Life
Key interviews: RK, Carl and Nancy Gebhardt, Blee, Hart, Donnelly, Forden, Peter Falk, Alan Goldfarb, Ron Estes, Haviland Smith, Stolz, John Horton.
56
“After Lang returned...”
Interview Lang.
“After Lang returned...”
Interview Lang.
56-57
“Blee sent a cable ...”
Excerpt of cable to field August 31, 1972.
“Blee sent a cable ...”
Excerpt of cable to field August 31, 1972.
57
“At the time, the station consisted...”
Interview Gebhardt.
“At the time, the station consisted...”
Interview Gebhardt.
58-61
“Kuklinski had been just as impatient...”
Interview RK.
“Kuklinski had been just as impatient...”
Interview RK.
61
“Gebhardt and his wife Nancy began...”
Interview Gebhardts.
“Gebhardt and his wife Nancy began...”
Interview Gebhardts.
61
“waving energetically at them . . . ”
Kuklinski was later asked by the Americans to dress in civilian clothing, so that he would not be recognizable. He ultimately rotated several changes of dark clothing to accomplish this. He also took care not to wear his own shoes, particularly those he wore to work. He did not want to leave a footprint that matched his own.
“waving energetically at them . . . ”
Kuklinski was later asked by the Americans to dress in civilian clothing, so that he would not be recognizable. He ultimately rotated several changes of dark clothing to accomplish this. He also took care not to wear his own shoes, particularly those he wore to work. He did not want to leave a footprint that matched his own.
62
“Gull looked like a first-rate person . . . ”
Excerpt of undated memo by Gebhardt with impressions of first meeting with Gull.
“Gull looked like a first-rate person . . . ”
Excerpt of undated memo by Gebhardt with impressions of first meeting with Gull.
62-63
“On behalf of our representatives . . . ”
Excerpt of letter written for delivery to RK. There is some imprecision in the archival notes I received as to precisely when RK received the “Eagle” letter, and whether it was in the envelope in his car, delivered to him in the cemetery, or slightly later. But it was very early in the operation.
“On behalf of our representatives . . . ”
Excerpt of letter written for delivery to RK. There is some imprecision in the archival notes I received as to precisely when RK received the “Eagle” letter, and whether it was in the envelope in his car, delivered to him in the cemetery, or slightly later. But it was very early in the operation.
63
“The letter was signed Eagle....”
Interview RK; archive.
“The letter was signed Eagle....”
Interview RK; archive.
63
“This source has made excellent choices . . . ”
Excerpt of commentary by senior CIA reports officer on RK’s initial reporting, January 8, 1973.
“This source has made excellent choices . . . ”
Excerpt of commentary by senior CIA reports officer on RK’s initial reporting, January 8, 1973.
63
“a large quantity of very valuable . . . ”
Excerpt of January 15, 1973, memo sent to CIA’s Deputy Director for Plans.
“a large quantity of very valuable . . . ”
Excerpt of January 15, 1973, memo sent to CIA’s Deputy Director for Plans.
63-64
“the best placed source...”
Excerpt of paper, undated but likely January 1973, prepared “for use in high-level briefing.”
“the best placed source...”
Excerpt of paper, undated but likely January 1973, prepared “for use in high-level briefing.”
64
“Although full impact . . . ”
Excerpt of HQ cable written for certain agency field officers who participated in initial stages of operation. In addition to Henry and Lang, these likely included the officers in Bonn and Warsaw.
“Although full impact . . . ”
Excerpt of HQ cable written for certain agency field officers who participated in initial stages of operation. In addition to Henry and Lang, these likely included the officers in Bonn and Warsaw.
64
“Blee, in fact, was concerned...”
Interviews Blee, Hart, and Donnelly.
“Blee, in fact, was concerned...”
Interviews Blee, Hart, and Donnelly.
64
“KC”
Hart, as she was known (she had the initials on her license plate), had risen to become the second-highest ranking woman in the CIA. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College with a degree in psychology, she joined the agency in 1949, shortly after its creation. Working first as a German translator at headquarters, she was later assigned to Frankfurt to oversee the reports of debriefings of Soviet-bloc defectors. In 1957 she returned to headquarters and was eventually made chief of the Reports and Requirements Staff for the Soviet Division. Hart worked in a corner office on the fourth floor and oversaw three dozen officers who were divided by intelligence specialty―political, economic, military, scientific, and technical―as well as two translation units, one Russian and one Polish. An administrative assistant with special clearances prepared the reports on an IBM Selectric typewriter.
“KC”
Hart, as she was known (she had the initials on her license plate), had risen to become the second-highest ranking woman in the CIA. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College with a degree in psychology, she joined the agency in 1949, shortly after its creation. Working first as a German translator at headquarters, she was later assigned to Frankfurt to oversee the reports of debriefings of Soviet-bloc defectors. In 1957 she returned to headquarters and was eventually made chief of the Reports and Requirements Staff for the Soviet Division. Hart worked in a corner office on the fourth floor and oversaw three dozen officers who were divided by intelligence specialty―political, economic, military, scientific, and technical―as well as two translation units, one Russian and one Polish. An administrative assistant with special clearances prepared the reports on an IBM Selectric typewriter.
64
“Meanwhile, Kuklinski’s Russian materials . . . ”
Blee recalled that the Soviet source was a GRU general named Dimitri Fedorovich Polyakov (whose CIA code name was BOURBON, and whose FBI code name was TOPHAT). Polyakov had been recruited by the FBI in the early 1960s, and had remained a valuable CIA source for two decades, in Moscow and other locations. He was eventually betrayed by FBI mole Robert P. Hanssen and later by CIA mole Aldrich Ames, and was arrested by Moscow and eventually executed.
“Meanwhile, Kuklinski’s Russian materials . . . ”
Blee recalled that the Soviet source was a GRU general named Dimitri Fedorovich Polyakov (whose CIA code name was BOURBON, and whose FBI code name was TOPHAT). Polyakov had been recruited by the FBI in the early 1960s, and had remained a valuable CIA source for two decades, in Moscow and other locations. He was eventually betrayed by FBI mole Robert P. Hanssen and later by CIA mole Aldrich Ames, and was arrested by Moscow and eventually executed.
Hart and a third officer, now retired, recalled that Gull’s Russian material may have been attributed to a different Soviet source. But the goal was the same, the third officer added: “to make fuzzier the appearance of a new flow of intelligence.”
64
“As Blee later described...”
To Blee, attributing Kuklinski’s materials to different sources was a “way of deceiving people without saying anything that wasn’t true, just letting them deceive themselves―if they wanted to believe what I wanted them to believe―that this was the same old Polish source and same old Soviet source. And we got away with it, and I think protected Kuklinski.”
“As Blee later described...”
To Blee, attributing Kuklinski’s materials to different sources was a “way of deceiving people without saying anything that wasn’t true, just letting them deceive themselves―if they wanted to believe what I wanted them to believe―that this was the same old Polish source and same old Soviet source. And we got away with it, and I think protected Kuklinski.”
65
“Stan immersed himself . . . ”
Stan was born in Poland, the son of a farmer. At the time of the 1939 Nazi invasion, he had become an officer in the Polish Army and helped in an operation to smuggle Poland’s gold reserves to Britain. There he joined with a group of Polish aviators and fought as a member of the free Polish forces. After the war he moved to the United States before returning to Europe in the early 1950s. He was hired by the CIA while living in Paris. With his ethnic background and proficiency in languages―he knew Polish, English, French, and some German―he was a valued contributor in the field and at headquarters. (Description of Stan from several colleagues.)
“Stan immersed himself . . . ”
Stan was born in Poland, the son of a farmer. At the time of the 1939 Nazi invasion, he had become an officer in the Polish Army and helped in an operation to smuggle Poland’s gold reserves to Britain. There he joined with a group of Polish aviators and fought as a member of the free Polish forces. After the war he moved to the United States before returning to Europe in the early 1950s. He was hired by the CIA while living in Paris. With his ethnic background and proficiency in languages―he knew Polish, English, French, and some German―he was a valued contributor in the field and at headquarters. (Description of Stan from several colleagues.)
67
“Still on edge...”
Excerpt of January 1973 message by RK to Warsaw Station.
“Still on edge...”
Excerpt of January 1973 message by RK to Warsaw Station.
67
“rendered in clear block print...”
Archival note.
“rendered in clear block print...”
Archival note.
67-68
“Blee considered Gull’s request...”
Interviews Blee, Donnelly.
“Blee considered Gull’s request...”
Interviews Blee, Donnelly.
69-82
“Born in Buffalo...”
Interviews Forden, Donnelly, Falk, Estes, Smith, Stolz, Horton, Goldfarb.
“Born in Buffalo...”
Interviews Forden, Donnelly, Falk, Estes, Smith, Stolz, Horton, Goldfarb.
72
“asked if he would replace . . . ”
Forden got the Warsaw post only after several other officers with Polish-language training were unable to, a retired officer said. One officer could not take the post because of an illness in his family. A second was ruled out after an embassy employee accidentally identified him at home in Warsaw, where he might have been overheard by Polish eavesdropping. A third officer could not go after his identity was compromised by the redefection of a minor East bloc agent he had once handled.
“asked if he would replace . . . ”
Forden got the Warsaw post only after several other officers with Polish-language training were unable to, a retired officer said. One officer could not take the post because of an illness in his family. A second was ruled out after an embassy employee accidentally identified him at home in Warsaw, where he might have been overheard by Polish eavesdropping. A third officer could not go after his identity was compromised by the redefection of a minor East bloc agent he had once handled.
74-78
“Learning from each tragic mistake . . . ”
The history of the brush pass and working the gap comes from interviews with Smith, Forden, Donnelly, Estes, Stolz.
“Learning from each tragic mistake . . . ”
The history of the brush pass and working the gap comes from interviews with Smith, Forden, Donnelly, Estes, Stolz.
78-80
“Forden flew to Vienna... ”
Interviews Forden, Donnelly.
“Forden flew to Vienna... ”
Interviews Forden, Donnelly.
81
“Forden pondered the possibilities for Warsaw . . . ”
The history of the moving car exchange is from interviews with Forden.
“Forden pondered the possibilities for Warsaw . . . ”
The history of the moving car exchange is from interviews with Forden.
82-86
“Colonel Henry walked around the harbor . . . ”
and the meeting with RK on June 23, 1973: Excerpt of field report to HQ.
“Colonel Henry walked around the harbor . . . ”
and the meeting with RK on June 23, 1973: Excerpt of field report to HQ.
Chapter
4
“Stabbing Back”
4
“Stabbing Back”
Key interviews: RK, Forden, Gebhardt.
87
“On a quiet Sunday morning . . . ”
Forden’s “Memorandum for the Record: Trip Report on Meetings with Gull in Germany 23 June to 2 July 1973” (memo).
“On a quiet Sunday morning . . . ”
Forden’s “Memorandum for the Record: Trip Report on Meetings with Gull in Germany 23 June to 2 July 1973” (memo).
88
“When Daniel arrived...”
Daniel’s quotes as recalled by him.
“When Daniel arrived...”
Daniel’s quotes as recalled by him.
88-96
“He explained that . . . ”
and meetings of Daniel, RK, and Henry: Interviews RK, Forden, Gebhardt, and excerpts of meeting transcripts; Daniel’s memo; Gebhardt’s written account; Henry’s contact report of June 23, 1973, meeting.
“He explained that . . . ”
and meetings of Daniel, RK, and Henry: Interviews RK, Forden, Gebhardt, and excerpts of meeting transcripts; Daniel’s memo; Gebhardt’s written account; Henry’s contact report of June 23, 1973, meeting.
97-99
“For now, I hope you understand . . . ”
Daniel’s first letter to RK, undated but written shortly after the meetings.
“For now, I hope you understand . . . ”
Daniel’s first letter to RK, undated but written shortly after the meetings.
99 “
offering ‘hearty greetings’...”
RK message November 6, 1973.
offering ‘hearty greetings’...”
RK message November 6, 1973.
101-1020
“Dear friends ...”
RK message January 3, 1974.
“Dear friends ...”
RK message January 3, 1974.
102-103
“He began a second letter....”
RK letter to Daniel January 2, 1974.
“He began a second letter....”
RK letter to Daniel January 2, 1974.
103
“operational sabbatical . . . ”
Excerpt of agency message to field early 1974.
“operational sabbatical . . . ”
Excerpt of agency message to field early 1974.
104
“The CIA ultimately gave...”
Interview RK.
“The CIA ultimately gave...”
Interview RK.
105
“In a message to the agency ...”
Excerpts of RK letter to agency March 5.
“In a message to the agency ...”
Excerpts of RK letter to agency March 5.
106
“Kuklinski looked up . . . ”
The account of the close call is based on interviews with RK and the archival notes.
“Kuklinski looked up . . . ”
The account of the close call is based on interviews with RK and the archival notes.
108-109
“On July 4 ...”
Archival notes and excerpts of meeting transcripts.
“On July 4 ...”
Archival notes and excerpts of meeting transcripts.
109-110
“continue to be of primary ...”
Excerpts of HQ cable to field after July meetings.
“continue to be of primary ...”
Excerpts of HQ cable to field after July meetings.
110
“Daniel also wrote . . . ”
Excerpt from Daniel letter cabled by HQ to field after July meetings.
“Daniel also wrote . . . ”
Excerpt from Daniel letter cabled by HQ to field after July meetings.
110
“The CIA also had questions...”
Kuklinski had already reported on the Strela, and the full question posed by the CIA was typical in its precision and detail: “Please sketch Strela-1 missile if it is not identical in appearance to Strela-2. What is weight of one Strela-1? What is weight of pod when loaded with four missiles? You stated that two or four missiles are carried in each pod. Under what circumstances would the vehicle carry only two missiles per pod, i.e. only half of its load? Can one or three missiles be carried in a pod? If not, why not? How are the four missiles loaded in the pod? Can you sketch a rear view of the pod with four missiles? On July 22, during the military parade in Warsaw, a Strela-1 was displayed. Visible in each pod was only one missile, giving this vehicle a total of four missiles.
“The CIA also had questions...”
Kuklinski had already reported on the Strela, and the full question posed by the CIA was typical in its precision and detail: “Please sketch Strela-1 missile if it is not identical in appearance to Strela-2. What is weight of one Strela-1? What is weight of pod when loaded with four missiles? You stated that two or four missiles are carried in each pod. Under what circumstances would the vehicle carry only two missiles per pod, i.e. only half of its load? Can one or three missiles be carried in a pod? If not, why not? How are the four missiles loaded in the pod? Can you sketch a rear view of the pod with four missiles? On July 22, during the military parade in Warsaw, a Strela-1 was displayed. Visible in each pod was only one missile, giving this vehicle a total of four missiles.
“1) Are there two versions of the Strela-1?
“2) Is there a training version? Could the one on display have been one? Can you obtain the dimensions of the training version missile?
“3) Are there two different missile pods? What are the dimensions of the pods?”
111(fn.)
“Kuklinski had been told that Eagle...”
Interview RK.
“Kuklinski had been told that Eagle...”
Interview RK.
113-115
“The Mustang accelerated . . . ”
Interview RK; excerpt RK letter to CIA November 5, 1974.
“The Mustang accelerated . . . ”
Interview RK; excerpt RK letter to CIA November 5, 1974.
115-116
“Unaware of . . . ”
Excerpt of CIA message to RK prepared in October 1974.
“Unaware of . . . ”
Excerpt of CIA message to RK prepared in October 1974.
119-120
“After receiving . . . ”
Excerpt of cable from station to HQ November 20; HQ reply (undated).
“After receiving . . . ”
Excerpt of cable from station to HQ November 20; HQ reply (undated).
120
“By February 1975 ...”
Archival notes.
“By February 1975 ...”
Archival notes.
120
“You must know . . . ”
Daniel letter cabled by HQ to Warsaw February 25 for delivery to RK.
“You must know . . . ”
Daniel letter cabled by HQ to Warsaw February 25 for delivery to RK.
Chapter 5 Near Miss
Key interviews: RK, Forden, Czeslaw Kiszczak.
121-124
“Kuklinski had been sent . . . ”
Interviews RK, Kiszczak; RK letters to CIA and Daniel June 12, 1975.
“Kuklinski had been sent . . . ”
Interviews RK, Kiszczak; RK letters to CIA and Daniel June 12, 1975.
124-126
“The first summer meeting . . . ”
Henry cable to HQ July 16, 1975; team’s cable to HQ July 7.
“The first summer meeting . . . ”
Henry cable to HQ July 16, 1975; team’s cable to HQ July 7.
127
“We have received...”
October 1975 dispatch from HQ to field.
“We have received...”
October 1975 dispatch from HQ to field.
127-128
“You know . . . ”
Daniel letter included in October 1975 to field for delivery to RK.
“You know . . . ”
Daniel letter included in October 1975 to field for delivery to RK.
130-131
“Dear Daniel...”
Excerpt RK letter to Daniel December 21, 1975.
“Dear Daniel...”
Excerpt RK letter to Daniel December 21, 1975.
132-133
“It is with great...”
Excerpt RK letter to CIA February 5, 1976.
“It is with great...”
Excerpt RK letter to CIA February 5, 1976.
134
“He conceded there had been...”
Excerpt of transcripts of June meetings.
“He conceded there had been...”
Excerpt of transcripts of June meetings.
134-135
“Consensus here . . . ”
Excerpt of Daniel cable June 8, 1976, to HQ;
“an atmosphere of peace . . . ”
excerpt of RK letter to CIA delivered August 22;
“smiling and relaxed . . . ”
excerpt of notes of field observation on August 22;
“may be a shade...”
excerpt of field communication to HQ August 24;
“Daniel wrote...”
excerpt of Daniel letter to RK delivered August 22.
“Consensus here . . . ”
Excerpt of Daniel cable June 8, 1976, to HQ;
“an atmosphere of peace . . . ”
excerpt of RK letter to CIA delivered August 22;
“smiling and relaxed . . . ”
excerpt of notes of field observation on August 22;
“may be a shade...”
excerpt of field communication to HQ August 24;
“Daniel wrote...”
excerpt of Daniel letter to RK delivered August 22.
135
“The recognition . . . ”
Excerpt of message from RK to CIA October 31, 1976.
“The recognition . . . ”
Excerpt of message from RK to CIA October 31, 1976.
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